BLACKBURN Hawks will have a new face in the ranks this weekend - even though it's a month since the ice hockey transfer deadline.

Solway Sharks netminder Gordon Langford has been drafted in by "special dispensation" for Hawks home English Premier League date with Invicta tomorrow (face off 6pm) and the away trip to Solihull on Sunday (7pm).

Barry Hollyhead, Hawks' only senior registered netminder following the departure of Colin Downie last month, has a trapped nerve in his neck and will be out of action for at least a week.

But Hawks are convinced they have got top quality cover with official John Neville saying: "Gordon was a player that we looked at in the summer and we were keen to take him, but our hands were tied."

Supporting Langford on the bench will be a netminder from the junior ranks, possibly Matt Millhench or Robbie Smith.

Hawks are also without Jim Pennycook with a back injury, while young hot shot Matt Jones will face a late fitness test. The forward is struggling with a knee injury.

Full preview in tomorrow's Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.